Abe Cooper is starting over. For fifteen years he's lived the life that was expected of him, but not anymore. He's packed up his things, bought himself a cabin in Northfield, and managed to secure a job at the local high school teaching gym and coaching the football team. But his new beginning didn't include running into Crazy Joe on his first trip to the grocery store.<br><br>Jonas Raghnall has everything he needs -- good friends and a job he loves. He's worked hard to get over what happened sixteen years ago, but one run-in with his past and all the memories come flooding back. Seeing Abe Cooper, The Abe Cooper, sets everything out of balance.<br><br>Abe had pictured a fresh start with no ties to his past, but now that Jonas is there, he wants nothing more than to be close to the man who had butterflies filling his belly when he was in high school. Jonas doesn't want to come face to face with his past, but if he sees Abe every day, it's not really meeting up with your past, is it? It's more like a date with your future.

Crazy Joe

“Yeah? Do you think Principal Wright will allow it?” Dylan kicked a stone so it skidded over the sidewalk, avoiding looking at Jonas.


“I…eh…football isn’t my area of expertise, but if Mr. Cooper thinks you would gain from a practice game, I’m sure Principal Wright would allow it.”


“But you’re…” Dylan shot him a quick look. “You share a workroom, right?”


“Mr. Cooper and I. Yes, we do.” Something was bothering Dylan, but Jonas couldn’t figure out what. Had Emilio told the other students that he’d caught Abe and him in a peculiar position last Friday? He hoped it wouldn’t make things hard for Abe if he had. Few students ever reflected over Jonas being gay, but Abe was the football coach. There was a macho culture to face up to there.


“Could you ask him if…If he thinks it’s gonna happen?”


“You want me to ask Mr. Cooper if you’re going to play a practice game?” Dylan wasn’t a shy boy, he could ask himself.


Chapter 19